* chief fathers.
  13  Ne 11:1-15 
 * Jerusalem.
   We have already seen the situation and extent of this ancient
   city, (Note on  8:28;) but the Jerusalem of sacred history is
   no more.  After having been successively destroyed by the
   Babylonians and Romans, and taken by the Saracens, Crusaders,
   and Turks, in the possession of the latter of whom it still
   continues, not a vestige remains of the capital of David and
   Solomon, not a monument of Jewish times is standing.  The very
   course of the walls is changed, and the boundaries of the
   ancient city are become doubtful.  The monks pretend to shew
   the sites of the sacred places; but they have not the
   slightest pretensions to even a probable identity with the
   real places.  The Jerusalem that now is, however, called by
   the Arabs {El Kouds,} or "the holy city," is still a
   respectable, good-looking town, of an irregular shape:  it is
   surrounded by high embattled walls, enclosing an area not
   exceeding two miles and a half, and occupying two small hills,
   having the valley of Jehoshaphat on the east, the valley of
   Siloam and Gehinnom on the south, and the valley of Rephaim on
   the west; and containing a population variously estimated at
   from 20,000; to 30,000; souls.